How is hip abduction strength tested?

• A. Supine or side-lying with resistance at the lateral thigh and pelvis stabilized.
• B. Prone with resistance at the medial knee and pelvis stabilized.
• C. Sitting with resistance at the distal leg while the pelvis is not stabilized.
• D. Standing with resistance at the distal thigh and pelvis stabilized.

Answer: (A)

Testing hip abduction strength focuses on isolated contraction of the hip abductors (gluteus medius and minimus). Positioning the person supine or on the test side with resistance applied to the lateral aspect of the thigh and with the pelvis stabilized prevents the trunk or pelvis from compensating (tilting, hiking, or leaning) so you’re measuring the actual ability of the abductors to move the leg away from the midline. The resistance direction along the lateral thigh aligns with the abductors’ pull, giving a true read on their strength and reducing the chance that other muscles take over.

Other positions tend to invite substitutions or involve different muscle actions. For example, applying resistance at the knee or distal leg can recruit other muscles and isn’t as effective at isolating hip abduction, and not stabilizing the pelvis can let the pelvis or trunk compensate, muddying the assessment. Standing tests exist but are less stable and not as reliable for isolating the hip abductors in typical MMT practice.